Keeping It Quiet
by shmulia
Summary: Being pregnant is terrifying, but so is telling your older brother.


It was time to tell the others.

For the past couple of months, Katara and Zuko had kept their secret. After Katara had taken the first test, and the small blue plus had appeared on the pink stick she held in her shaking hand, she had immediately gone out and bought four more. Each time, the test was positive.

She was pregnant.

Zuko had come home to see five pregnancy tests scattered around his girlfriend, who was sitting in shock in the bathroom. She had looked up to see his raised eyebrows, his mouth open slightly in a silent question. Katara picked up one of the sticks, not breaking eye contact with Zuko, and passed it over to him. His gaze flicked onto the tiny plus sign, and before Katara could say anything he had picked her up and was holding her tightly.

"We're going to have a baby! _"_ Zuko laughed. He could feel Katara grip the back of his sweater tightly as he hugged her, her face buried in his neck.

"You're not... you're okay with this?" Katara asked, her voice soft against his skin. Zuko pulled back, cupping her face in his palms as he grinned at her. He could see the tension in her face, noted the worry in her eyes. He pressed his forehead against hers and nodded.

"Of course! I mean, holy crap. We're going to have a _baby!"_ He grinned.

Katara lifted her face up, pressing her lips against his before pulling back and smiling.

They decided to keep the pregnancy quiet for the first trimester, even after a doctor's appointment confirmed that yes, Katara was pregnant and yes, the baby seemed to be healthy. Katara and Zuko were elated but terrified, and didn't want to jinx the health of the newly discovered foetus; they didn't tell their friends or family, just in case.

But when three months had passed, and Katara was _sure_ she could see the first hints of a bump protruding under her clothes, they decided it was time to tell the people they loved the most.

And of course, they had to start with Sokka.

Katara's brother was always happy to visit his favourite couple (apart from himself and Suki, obviously) for dinner, so when Katara extended the invite, he didn't hesitate in saying yes.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to Sokka, even when Katara sat him down on the sofa whilst Zuko stood a few steps behind her, close enough to the door that he had an escape path should his pregnant girlfriend's older brother take the news badly.

But when Katara gently placed her hand on Sokka's arm, biting her lips nervously and looking to Zuko for reassurance, Sokka realised that something was up.

"Katara, is everything okay?" Sokka asked, looking from her to Zuko and back again. Katara took a deep breath, nodding.

"Yes. Yes, it is. There's something we need to tell you, Sokka, and you have to _promise_ not to freak out, okay?"

Sokka clasped his little sister's hand in his, concern radiating off him as Katara slid a photo of a sonogram she'd had a month previously, along with one of the pregnancy tests, out of a bag by her feet and handed them to him. Sokka looked at them in confusion for a moment.

There was silence as Sokka took in what was in front of him. As recognition dawned on him, he looked at Katara in horror.

"Katara..."

"I know it's a lot to take in – imagine how _we_ felt when we found out, we didn't expect this but we're so excited Sokka, I hope you will be too-"

"Katara, haven't you _peed_ on this? And I'm _touching_ it, ew!" Sokka said, passing the stick back to her and wiping his hand on the sofa.

Zuko snorted.

"Your priorities are amazing, Sokka," he said, rolling his eyes as he moved forward to rest a hand on Katara's shoulder.

Katara raised her eyebrows in disbelief. "I'm having a baby, and that's what you focus on?" She turned to Zuko. "We're asking Aang to be the Godfather."

"You know, I'd be okay with that," Zuko replied. "Sokka? You alright?"

Sokka gawped at the couple. "You're... having a _baby?"_

"Yep," Katara said.

"A baby."

"Again, yes."

"I'm gonna be an Uncle."

"Your intelligence never ceases to amaze me," Katara said drily. Zuko, who had placed himself on the armrest of the sofa next to Katara, nudged her gently.

"Be nice, this is big news," he murmured, smiling when she turned to him in indignation.

"You think I don't know that? There's a baby growing inside of me, of _course_ that's bi-"

A loud thump brought their attention back to Sokka, who had graciously passed out. The couple blinked at the figure sprawled on their sofa.

"Well," Katara said after a moment, "that could have gone worse."


End file.
